WASHINGTON—The annual audit of
diocesan compliance with the Charter for
the Protection of Children and Young People found a drop in the number of
allegations, number of victims and number of offenders reported in 2012.

The Center for Applied Research in the
Apostolate (CARA), which gathered data for the report, found "the fewest
allegations and victims reported since the data collection for the annual
reports began in 2004."

Most allegations reported last year were
from the seventies and eighties with many of the alleged offenders already
deceased or removed from ministry in the priesthood.

StoneBridge Business Partners, which
conducts the audits, said law enforcement found six credible cases among 34
allegations of abuse of minors in 2012 itself. Credibility of 15 of the
allegations was still under investigation. Law enforcement found 12 allegations
to be unfounded or unable to be proven, and one a boundary violation.

Almost all dioceses were found
compliant with the audit. Three were found non-compliant with one article of
the Charter. The Diocese of Lake
Charles, Louisiana, was faulted because its review board had not met in several
years. (The diocese had no allegations during that time). The Diocese of Tulsa,
Oklahoma, was faulted because auditors could not determine if parishes provided
safe environment training to religious education students and volunteer
teachers. The Diocese of Baker, Oregon, was faulted because students did not
receive safe environment training while a new program was being developed. The
diocese has since begun training.

The annual report has two parts. The
first is the compliance report of StoneBridge, which conducted on-site audits
of 71 dioceses and eparchies and reviewed documentation submitted by 118 others.
The Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, and five Eastern rite dioceses, known as
eparchies, refused to be audited.

The second part is the "2012 Survey
of Allegations and Costs," conducted by CARA.The Lincoln Diocese refused to cooperate with the survey, and the
Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles did not respond by the cut-off
date.

The StoneBridge audit, in addition
to finding most dioceses Charter compliant,
reported that "over 99 percent of clerics and over 96 percent of employees and
volunteers were trained" in safe environment programs. "In addition, over 4.6
million children received safe environment training. Background evaluations
were conducted on over 99 percent of clerics; 98 percent of educators; 96 percent
of employees; and 96 percent of volunteers."

StoneBridge cited limitations,
including "the unwillingness of most dioceses and eparchies to allow us to
conduct parish audits during their on-site audits." It said that "the auditors
must rely solely on the information provided by the diocese or eparchy, instead
of observing the program firsthand."

Another limitation is staff turnover
in diocesan child abuse prevention programs. As a result, "records are often
lost, and successors to the position are often placed in key roles without
formal orientation," StoneBridge reported.

Al J. Notzon, III, chairman of the National
Review Board (NRB), which oversees the audits, echoed StoneBridge concerns in a
letter to Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops. Notzon highlighted the importance of good record-keeping
"and the great significance of involving parishes in the audit process."

"Abuse happened in the parishes
where our children learn and live their young, growing faith," Notzon said.
"From the NRB's perspective, parish participation in the audit process is an
essential next step in what 'makes the Charter
real' for laity in those parishes. What we have come to see is that protecting
children from sexual abuse is a race without a finish and more rather than less
effort is necessary to keep this sacred responsibility front and center."

Cardinal Dolan in a preface to the
report commended clergy, employees and volunteers trained in safe environment.

"At the same time we also renew our
steadfast resolution never to lessen our common commitment to protect children
and young people entrusted to our pastoral care," he said. "We seek with equal
determination to promote healing and reconciliation for those harmed in the past,
and to assure that our audits continue to be credible and maintain
accountability in our shared promise to protect and our pledge to heal."

In data gathering from dioceses,
CARA noted there were 397 allegations, most of them from decades past, against 313
priests or deacons, by 390 individuals. About 84 percent of the victims were
male. Half were between 10 and 14 when the abuse began. An estimated 17 percent
were between 15 and17, and 19 percent were under age 10.

Dioceses and eparchies that responded
to the survey reported costs related to allegations at $112,966,427 in 2012. Expenses
covered settlements, attorney fees, therapy for victims and support for
offenders. The total amount expended for dioceses, eparchies and religious
orders was $148,338,437. Dioceses and religious orders also spent $26,583,087
for child protection programs.

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Keywords: Charter for
the Protection of Children and Young People, U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops, USCCB, Al Notzon III, National Review Board, NRB, StoneBridge Business
Partners, Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, CARA, Cardinal Timothy
Dolan, clergy sexual abuse, child sexual abuse

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